Along with every imaginable store front, the malls have so much entertainment that for the most part is easily accessed without fees. For example the 50 meter aquarium is a atrium feature and can be enjoyed withEntry. One can purchase tickets to enter a glass “elevator” or scuba dive in the aquarium. Another area is like a museum with a dinosaur fossil, recreations and informative displays of historical sites and events. Of course the indoor ski slope. At night there is a huge fountain production.

While we were in Dubai we took a desert Safari. A driver in a Toyota Land Cruiser picked us up at our hotel. We drove for about and hour to get out of the city and into the desert were there where only highways and sand. Very nice highways everywhere, multi-lanes and lighted even in the desert. T

The beginning of our excursion was “dune busting”. They let air out of the tires and then drive through the desert dunes. The driver cranked the Arabic music and put the pedal to metal and rode the top of the sand dunes until it dropped of or became to narrow to and we dropped or slide into the valley. We knew it was serious when we stopped and the driver told everyone to buckle up! This was after going a while. Ha!

Our driver’s goal seemed to be to get the most other driver to follow him. At one point we circled back and there were about 8 other land cruises behind us and our driver was quite pleased!

There where numinous times we thought we were going to roll down the side of a dune. Sand was flying up and over the vehicle and the way the driver was working the steering wheel I was having flashbacks to the Thailand ferries!

There were two other couples with us the gal setting beside me got motion sick and lost her cookies a whole lot of times. The driver would just stop and have her bury the puck bag in the desert, say how it was all part of the experience and then we continued on with the busting! I felt so bad for her.

Towards evening we stopped at a desert camp to watch the sunset. Here we ate a traditional Arabian meal and watched shows of dancing including belly dancing and fire twirling. Here they offered Shisha which is the eastern name for a hookah, Henna painting for women, camel rides and Arabian coffee which is very weak almost like tea and sweetened with dates.

It was a great day and well worth having sand on every inch of us! Several days later I’m still tapping sand out of my tennies.

We left the beautiful and tropical island of Bali and flew overnight to Dubai! We didn’t expect to go here but this stop made it easier to get to our next destination.

Dubai is a new and ultra modern city surrounded by desert sand and ocean. There is every imaginable contemporary shaped building you can think of, including the Burj Khalifa at 2,717 feet tall it is the tallest building in the world and has been since 2008. At night it’s like driving through a movie set as many of the high rise buildings are recognizable and have light shows.

The air feels so dry compared to what we have been in, it’s hot in mid afternoon but cools off quickly when the sun goes down. In August it can get up to 54 degrees Celsius that almost 130 Fahrenheit.

We are staying in the Dubai Marina area. This is where the mega yachts are docked as well as water taxis, dinner cruises on elaborate wooden boats called Dhow boats that carved or parquet wood at the front and back of the wood hulls, and sightseeing tour boats.

Along the waterfront of the marina there are 7 km of cobblestone walking/biking trail with many restaurants, shops, hotels and high rise living spaces. Just beyond the marina area are white sand beaches, this is the area where the famous “palm tree island” are located. You need to be in the air to appreciate these, hopefully we will get a view when we fly out.

We crossed the equator into Indonesia and to the island of Bali. It’s the rainy season here so between Coronavirus and the off season it’s not too crowded here. The tourists here are mostly Australian, for them it’s a fairly short flight (4or 5 hours) and an inexpensive vacation.

It’s rained everyday, mostly at night but sometimes during the day. It clears up and is nice between rains. It’s a hot and humid rainforest with dense foliage everywhere!

We are on the west coast so have beautiful sunsets in the evening. The waves are good for low action surfing. Because of the type of traveling we are doing maybe haven’t done many excursions or anything touristy that costs extra money but yesterday we booked a fishing and snorkeling day to the east coast of Bali for a cost us $45 each. In included a private car from west to east coast, fishing, snorkeling and the fish we caught cooked for lunch.

Our driver Arya, was an excellent tour guide. He is from north Bali his family lives in the north he comes to the south for work. He’s very knowledgeable about the entire island. We learned a lot from him about Hindi beliefs and rituals.

Our boat was a deep haul canoe with outriggers. This type of boat seems to have several names are driver just called it a boat. With the outriggers it was stable enough for us to stand in well we fished and super challenging to get back into after snorkeling! The fishing was fun, we cut trigger fish and red snapper. I also watched the guides spearfish, they could drive about 30 feet deep, sit on the bottom and watch for fish to pass in front of them. Amazing and ear popping!

From Penang we gave up ferries to fly Air Asia to Singapore. When we arrived in Singapore the airport was nearly empty and we had our temperature taken by a remote sensor as we walked down the hallway. I am thinking it’s probably the safest place we can be from Coronavirus.

Traveling with in southeast Asia is super cheap. Our flight was $17, we upgraded to include checked bags, a meal (actually a really good meal), and better seats for a total of $34 per ticket.

The cost changed when we got to Singapore, it’s a beautiful luxurious city and the prices reflect that. The highway in from the airport to the city is canopied with dark trunked trees contrasted by the vibrant green leaves overhead.

The waterfront has the same appearance with walking and biking trails canopied by trees.

Singapore has a much greater influence from China with most of it’s population Chinese. Although in the area we stayed in German beer bars were very popular. Not sure what was going with that.

Singapore is a very modern, wealthy city. This was noticed in that they carry water bottles, walk the beach front with their dog(s) and ride bicycles or jog for pleasure or fitness.

A view of the old part of George Town. This is a hawker food court near the jetties were Chinese immigrants built out over the water. There are about seven jetties each for a clan and the descendants of that clan. The largest is the Chew jetty; during the day these are vibrant market places at night shops are closed and turn into living quarters.The drain gutters are exposed in the older part of the city.

Penang is a great value. World heritage city. Great food and one of the best hotel stays. Very nice room with an awesome shower. The included breakfast buffet is more like brunch with local lunch items and made to order eggs, omelettes and coffee.

Each evening they include two glasses of wine at the rooftop bar and they have 4 flavors of serve yourself ice cream and cookies from 6pm to midnight. There is also have a small movie theater (on the rooftop) that you can watch 2 different movies showings in the evening each day with free popcorn. Oh and up to 4 free sodas coke and sprite and bottled water is included in the room fridge per day. Filtered water in the lobby to fill water bottles. This all for 3 nights was a total (not per night) with tax $142 with all taxes and fees!!! $47 per night!

We had lunch in a locally “famous” place for chicken rice. We both had a chicken rice plate with soup and shared a large (quart) beer and the total bill was between $5 and $6 dollars. They have the equivalent of Uber called Grab (it started as Uber and sold). Most of our rides 10-15 minutes are ~$1.50. Took one to the other side of the island about 45 min drive and it was $8.

Sharing the way it’s possible to stay so long.

I’m trying this post to see if it works, I seem to have lost access to my previous posts so keeping my fingers crossed. Also please stick with me if I am repeating something already shared.

After our harrowing ferry boat day we made it to Koh Lipe and to our beach “bungalow” late at night. The gal greeted us, showed us our room, handed over the keys and told us to check-in in morning. I’m pretty sure no one checks in that late as the fairies stop arriving around three in the afternoon.Lipe has no cars only motorbikes, bicycles and foot traffic.

The beach area is beautiful and the snorkeling is awesome. The tide goes out in the evening bringing the coral nearly to the surface. So reef fish, anemones, huge pillow like starfishes, seahorses, small and medium sized giant clams of all colors, anemones and many types and colors of coral all within arms reach.

In places there were many long spiny sea urchins with iridescent blue spots on them. At night these dots washed up on the shore and glowed this beautiful iridescent blue.

We ate at small local restaurants away from the beach. The first evening we met locals that had lived there from 10-16 years. They showed us pictures of the island before it was developed. The main walking path that runs from one side of the island to the other was not there 12 years ago. Now there are restaurants, shops, tourist information booths, bars, grocery stores, 7-Eleven’s and massage shops.

Krabi is a beautiful resort town with fewer people and less activity on the beach. Just sunbathing, swimming and long tail boats. The boats take people out to remote beaches. Across from the beach are tourist information stands, restaurants resorts and Thai message spots.

Most of the tourist we’ve met are from France, the kids there are on school holiday. We did meet a family from Slovenia, home of Melania Trump. It was fun talking with them.

I’m going to load this post up with photos.